11 replies to this topic

[Foogoo]

1. Location of collection: Antelope Valley, CA
2. Date of collection: 2/19/2016
3. Habitat of collection: Desert chaparral
4. Length (from head to gaster): ~8mm
5. Color, hue, pattern and texture: Black, lighter banded gaster
 

Dug two of these up today from founding chambers. Doesn't look like Myrmecocystus nor Veromessor, the two I'd expect to be flying this time of year in the desert. Thanks.

 

 

[Mdrogun]

Pheidole

Edited by Mdrogun, February 19 2016 - 9:47 PM.

[dspdrew]

Wow, I think that's the same Pheidole species I found really early last year too. We also found a bunch of Dolopomyrmex pilatus at the same time.

 

It looks exactly like this one: http://www.formicult...php/topic/1174-

 

Hopefully someone can help ID it, because I was unable to. It's definitely very unique flying in early February. Pheidole barbata and P. psammophila were my guesses when I tried to ID it last year.

 

Did they by any chance, have typical, fan-shaped founding chambers?

[Foogoo]

Yup, your textbook founding chambers. I wonder if it's the queen of these guys, which I'm guessing are Pheidole.

 

[gcsnelling]

If  from the same locality, then most likely the same. Color would suggest barbata, but as we know color is not a perfect tool. Did you collect any?

[dspdrew]

Yeah mine had a fan-shaped founding chamber too. I haven't seen a lot of Pheidole founding chambers, but all the others I've seen only made little mounds similar to Dorymyrmex. I also got mine in Llano, which is just down the road, so I'm pretty sure our queens are the same. I still have my queen preserved too. I should pin it up and get some microscope pictures. One thing I noticed about mine is the queen was the biggest I've seen yet from the Pilifera group.

[gcsnelling]

P. barbata does occur over near Llano. However until they are properly scoped there is no telling.

[Foogoo]

I did collect a worker but keep forgetting it's in my car, hopefully it's still in one piece, I'll get some pics tonight.

 

What made you distinguish her as Pheidole from Dolopomyrmex?

[dspdrew]

First most obvious thing is the size; the Dolopomyrmex queens I found were around 13 mm in length. And aside from the way they look, Dolopomyrmex make founding chambers that look like the ones made by Doryrmymex and some Pheidole--small, mounds of dirt about an inch in diameter.

[Foogoo]

Here's a few more pics, best I can do with a USB microscope and dessicated specimen, which is actually more like 1.5-2mm:

 

[dspdrew]

I don't think a minor is going to do much good anyway.

[dspdrew]

I'm quite sure this was Pheidole barbata.